May 2026 Streaming Guide: From Yorgos Lanthimos's Absurdism to Ewan McGregor's Period Drama
Highlights include *Bugonia*, a documentary on Rafael Nadal, Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews's new series, Ewan McGregor's period drama, and Warwick Thornton's *Wolfram*, available between 5 May and 29 May.
A comprehensive culture guide published by The Guardian on 5 May 2026 has outlined the top television series and films available for streaming in Australia during May. The report covers major platforms including Netflix, HBO Max, Disney Plus, Prime Video, and ABC, offering a curated selection of titles for the month.
Among the standout releases is Yorgos Lanthimos's *Bugonia*, which arrives on 21 May. The film features Jesse Plemons as Teddy Gatz, a beekeeper and conspiracy theorist who kidnaps a pharmaceutical CEO, played by Emma Stone. The narrative is described as a whacked-out exercise in absurdism that is visually and narratively unsettling from the outset.
Also arriving on 21 May is a four-part documentary on tennis superstar Rafael Nadal. The series explores the athlete's final year before retirement in 2024, examining how he grappled with persistent injuries and physical limitations while unpacking his life and legacy.
Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews, creators of *The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance*, have returned with a new series produced by the Duffer brothers. Described as *Stranger Things* for senior citizens, the show features Bill Pullman, Geena Davis, and Alfred Molina as residents of a seemingly perfect retirement community threatened by an otherworldly force.
Ewan McGregor stars in a 1920s-set period drama that has already generated significant cultural conversation. Set in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution, McGregor plays Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov, a poet under house arrest in Moscow's Metropol Hotel. The production is noted for its impeccable rendering of a locked-down world and McGregor's distinctive performance.
Warwick Thornton's latest film, *Wolfram*, joins a major talent's extraordinary oeuvre becoming available this month. Much of Thornton's work, including *Samson and Delilah* and *The New Boy*, is part of SBS' Reconciliation Week collection on SBS on Demand, which also features films starring the late David Gulpilil.
The guide further highlights a variety of other titles arriving between 5 May and 29 May, including Josh Safdie's sports drama *Marty Supreme*, Nic Cage's horror oddity *The Son*, and Emerald Fennell's adaptation of *Wuthering Heights*.